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What we watched: Syracuse at Cincinnati. The Bearcats opened the game firing from well-beyond three-point range. And because they actually made a few, they were able to extend the famed Syracuse 2-3 zone. For a while, it worked, and Cincinnati was occasionally able to dump the ball inside for some easy buckets. But then Scoop Jardine hit a few shots for the Orange, the announcers praised his "confidence" in the face of defensive pressure, and Syracuse wound up with a seven-point win.

What we're watching (all times EST, unless noted): Michigan at Purdue (ESPN) and Tennessee at Vanderbilt (ESPNU) in men's college basketball at 7. Cleveland at Miami in NBA basketball at 7:30 (NBATV). Kentucky at Georgia (ESPN) and Miami at Georgia Tech (ESPNU) in men's college basketball at 9. Minnesota at Colorado in NHL hockey at 9 (NBCSN). Australian Open quarterfinals at 9 (ESPN2). Memphis at Portland in NBA basketball at 10:30 (NBATV).

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The Doors' last album, L.A. Woman, at 40: "With Morrison out on bail pending appeal, the only legitimate option is to head into the studio to deliver the final record on their Elektra contract. After that, an indefinite hiatus is certain—provided the band can capture something superior to 'cocktail jazz,' the slander with which their longtime producer Paul Rothchild leaves them before quitting during early L.A. Woman sessions. The Doors return to their rehearsal studio at a crossroads, attempting to invent a new, Western blooz and reimagine a dissolute swamp as the concrete Delta. Jazz is Beat, but blues is blood. Blues is bruised. Blues is booze. Blues is the boomerang. Blues isn't the hangover; it's the hanging. Jim Morrison jokes to John Densmore: 'You're drinking with No. 3.' Janis. Jimi. Jim. Blues is when the doors close. This is not a blues city. L.A. is about the concealment of appearance, but the blues is about its unraveling. The blues is the opposite of bullshit. And the psychic unrest of L.A. Woman is prominently placed on the album cover, which drops in April '71. Morrison is shunted off to the side like a dwarf Russian woodcutter or an American werewolf about to ruin Paris. The border is blood red; the faces of the band, choleric yellow." [LA Weekly]

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Joe Flacco has earned a new contract, according to Joe Flacco: "Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has just completed the fourth year of a five-year rookie contract. He thinks he's done enough to merit additional security. ‘Definitely,' Flacco said Monday, via the team's official website. ‘We'll see how it goes; if it goes, it goes, if it doesn't, it doesn't.' So far, it hasn't been going anywhere. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, there have been no talks toward a new contract. Why does Flacco think he has earned an extension? ‘I think I'm the quarterback that I am,' Flacco said. ‘I think the first four years that I've played here we've gone to the playoffs every time [and] won a game. I think the last two years that I've played in the playoffs, I've played well in the playoffs.' I think. I get. The point. But he wasn't done. ‘And like I said earlier, I think when you watch the film and you're a guy in this organization, I think that you can say, ‘Hey, he's played pretty damn good for us,'' Flacco added. ‘But like I said, you never know what's going to happen.'" [PFT]

Who's next? Vinny Del Negro?: "The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they will retire Bruce Bowen's No. 12 jersey on Wednesday, March 21 when the Spurs host the Minnesota Timberwolves. Bowen's No. 12 jersey will join James Silas' No. 13, George Gervin's No. 44, Johnny Moore's No. 00, David Robinson's No. 50, Sean Elliott's No. 32 and Avery Johnson's No. 6 in the rafters in the AT&T Center. ‘Bruce Bowen was the premier perimeter defender in the NBA for close to a decade,' said Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich. ‘His success is proof that hard work and determination do, in fact, pay off. Statistics are meaningless when talking about his importance to this franchise. The simple fact is the Spurs don't win NBA Championships in 2003, 2005 and 2007 without Bruce Bowen.'" [NBA.com]

Your Asian Soulja Boy Interlude:

Wet practice makes perfect: "‘I don't think we handled a dry ball all week,' Weatherford said Monday, explaining that he and DeOssie used several techniques in an attempt to simulate what they would face in a potential game-winning sequence. Although the Giants practiced indoors at their practice center in the days leading to the game, Weatherford said he and DeOssie had a large bucket of water with them that they used as a ‘holding tank' for their practice balls. As opposed to simply grabbing a ball from the regular bag or bin, every practice snap last week came with a ball from the bucket—meaning every ball was slick and slippery, just like the one used late in overtime on Sunday. Sometimes, Weatherford said, he and DeOssie would rub up the balls with mud outside the practice center to add another element." [New York Times]

Huh. We thought David Stern was not involved with the Hornets: "New Orleans Hornets guard Eric Gordon said he is waiting to learn whether NBA commissioner David Stern will grant him a contract extension before Wednesday's deadline. Gordon's agent, Rob Pelinka, has engaged in recent contract talks with the Hornets' front office, but hasn't received an official offer. Gordon told Yahoo! Sports on Monday night he was informed by Hornets general manager Dell Demps that Stern must decide whether to extend an offer. The NBA owns the Hornets. Gordon wants to re-sign with New Orleans, but is uncertain if or when Stern will reach out to him or Pelinka." [Yahoo! Sports]